Regardless of the reasons why, moving is often one of the most significant life changes you can make, and is definitely something that should be taken seriously. That being said, if you take the entire process too seriously, you run the risk of overstressing yourself, not to mention those around you.

Maintaining your sense of humor throughout the relocation can do wonders to keep everyone involved more relaxed, healthy, and productive. Here are five ways to incorporate a bit of humor into your next move for a more fun, engaging, and successful experience.

1. Use humor to help keep your family stress-free

It’s human nature to feel anxiety and stress when regular routines get disrupted. Just knowing how much work and change is coming in anticipation of a big move is enough to tip some people over the edge. Being proactive and utilizing your silly side from the get-go is a great way to combat these unwanted feelings and not dwell too much on the tasks ahead.

If you’re feeling this way, chances are the rest of your family is too. A little light-hearted humor can go a long way towards easing the strain on what is often a very stressful period in a relationship. Treat your significant other to a laugh from time to time and don’t forget to take a break once in a while and maybe throw on one of your favorite sitcoms.

This is even more important if you have young children, especially if your move involves a new city, school, or neighborhood. If they see that you have suddenly become stressed and anxious, they are far more likely to be too.

2. Tell funny stories to make packing fly by

One of the most time-consuming and unenjoyable parts of any move is the packing. Organizing and placing all of your earthly possessions into boxes does not fall under most people’s definition of a good time. Instead of having everyone disperse to their own rooms to pack individually, try sticking together as a family and pack each room as a fun-loving team.

As you go through and pack your items, try to recall memories of good times you had together with said items. Perhaps an ugly lamp you own was a gift from a beloved, crazy uncle. Or maybe a certain stuffed animal reminds you of that time a flock of angry geese swarmed you at the park. It doesn’t have to be much, but it will help to keep everyone’s mind occupied.

If you have no choice but to pack alone, try putting on your favorite comedic podcast or stand-up album. You’ll be surprised at just how fast the time will fly!

3. Share a laugh with the movers to set a better mood

Believe it or not, professional movers are people too. While we of course take our responsibilities very seriously, we also enjoy the occasional on-the-job chuckle. Greeting your movers at the door with a smile and a clever quip can go a long way towards a more enjoyable experience.

While you may not do this every day, we do. When our customers are overly stressed, demanding, and short with us, it can easily ruin an otherwise good day. While we certainly don’t expect to be entertained the entire time, there are plenty of things you can do to lighten the mood throughout the day, such as joking about some of your stranger belongings or warning us how heavy your pillows are.

4. Joke about worst case scenarios to make them less scary

There’s no denying that there are plenty of things that could go horribly wrong during a move. The movers could be late (or not show up at all). Your large furniture might not fit through a narrow doorway or space in your new home. The moving truck could get into an accident along the way and all your stuff gets destroyed. Whatever the scenario, it certainly could happen.

However, dwelling on these possibilities definitely won’t help. What can help is to make light of the situation together with your family. Take turns trying to think up wild, unlikely scenarios and what kinds of things you would have to do to overcome them.

5. Make light of any incidents to lessen their impact

“Laughter is the best medicine in the world.” Almost everyone is familiar with this famous quote by the late, great Milton Berle. While laughter is unlikely to heal your aches, pains, and sore muscles after an exhausting move, it can help cure a number of other moving-related “ailments.”

No matter how well you packed them and how careful the moving company was, fragile items do occasionally break. If an item does unfortunately get broken beyond repair, there’s no sense in getting so upset that it ruins the entire moving experience for everyone. What’s done is done, and the best thing you can do in that situation is just laugh it off and replace it.

The punchline

It’s truly amazing how powerful and intoxicating a good, shared laugh can be. Hopefully with these five tips and a few cheesy jokes in your back pocket, your next move will be an enjoyable experience you won’t soon forget.

AAA Movers has experienced, certified professionals that know how to reduce the stress of any moving situation. We’ve been a trusted moving partner for residents of Minneapolis, St. Paul, and beyond for over 50 years—chat with us to get started today!